Carbonara

This is Italian soul food, people. It's what Rachael Ray cooked to catch herself a husband. It's also my new favorite recipe.

If you double it, it will feed eleven teenagers, two adults, and four small children. Trust me.

Carbonara

Ingredients:

1 pound rigatoni, spaghetti, or linguini
1/2 pound pancetta or bacon, chopped
extra virgin olive oil
4-5 cloves garlic, crushed and chopped
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes, a few pinches, crushed in hand
1/2 cup dry white wine or chicken stock
2 large egg yolks
3 tablespoons (2 palmfulls) grated parmigiano reggiano, or parmesan (the good stuff)
handfull fresh parsley leaves, chopped
a few grinds of black pepper

Directions:

Boil a large pot of water, and add pasta and salt. Cook to al dente, according to directions on package. Reserve 1/4 cup pasta water.

While pasta cooks, heat large skillet over moderate heat. Saute bacon in a drizzle of oil until brown. Add another drizzle or two of oil, plus garlic and crushed red pepper. Saute garlic 2 minutes. Add wine or stock to pan and reduce liquid by half, 2 minutes.

While bacon is browning, beat together egg yolks, cheese, and while whisking, add the 1/4 cup boiling pasta water to temper eggs. Beat in parsley and pepper and set aside.

Drain pasta. Add pasta to pan with pancetta sauce. Toss pasta with pancetta, then add egg mixture and toss 1 minute. Remove from heat. Continue to toss until sauce is absorbed by and thickly coating pasta. Adjust seasonings with kosher salt and black pepper. Serve with extra cheese.

Try not to eat seconds.